A community spirited resident is continuing to clear the streets of dog mess in his town.

Stuart Maw and other residents in Winterton complained in February last year that there had been a number of incidents of dog fouling – and were urging the council to do something about it.

Since then, Stuart has continued to go out and clean up the streets in his own time as a volunteer dog warden and said he has come across hundreds of incidents.

Armed with a uniform consisting of a vest, a body camera and bags, Stuart takes to the streets of Winterton most days to clean up any dog mess he comes across and urge dog owners to pick up after their pets.

He is has set up a Facebook page called Winterton Dog Fouling Action and is still calling for a dog warden to be provided for the community.

He said: "Since last February, things have not really got any better. I always toyed with the idea of being a volunteer dog fouling warden in the hope that the town council or North Lincolnshire Council would take someone on to do it.

"That is not going to be forthcoming. I did take it on myself."

Stuart Maw, who is a volunteer warden in Winterton, is keeping a eye on dog fouling

Stuart, who has recently received a certificate from Winterton Town Council for his community work, said he has had lots of support from the community and a donation meant he could buy the uniform and a body camera.

He is often out at 6am in the mornings when most people are walking their dogs. Any mess he comes across is put into a bag and into a dog bin.

Stuart said if he comes across an owner not picking up after their dog, he will politely ask them to and provide them with a bag if needed.

The law on dog fouling

Information on North Lincolnshire Council's website says it is an offence for a person in control of a dog not to clean up immediately after a dog has fouled on public land which is subject to a Public Space Protection Order.

If an authorised council officer witnesses a dog fouling offence, they can issue an £80 fixed penalty notice to owners who refuse to clean up after their dog when asked to do so.

If they do not accept the fixed penalty notice, the council will aim to prosecute, which could result in a maximum fine of £1,000.

If they fail to do this, he will collect evidence for possible court action.

He said: "I am getting a lot of feedback from people on the Facebook page and they are saying it has drastically improved.

"I don't think it would be a massive cost if the local town council could take it on board if North Lincolnshire Council would let them."

Stuart Maw, pictured last year urging dog owners to clean up after their pets (Image: David Haber)

If an area is particularly bad, Stuart has been cleaning up the path after using disinfectant.

Stuart wanted to make it clear that he doesn't want people to feel like it is a "nanny state" but he just wants dog owners to clear up after their pets.

He added: "It is not what I would have chose as a hobby but I like my community and I want it to be the best community it can be."

Council advice on keeping communities tidy

Councillor Richard Hannigan, cabinet member for safer, greener and cleaner places at North Lincolnshire Council, said: "We would always encourage residents to take pride in their communities by keeping it tidy, not littering and clearing up dog mess.

"We do have genuine concerns if a resident takes it upon themselves to police in this way. They may find themselves in physical confrontations and we would be genuinely concerned for their wellbeing.

"When it comes to taking action against the minority who don’t clean up after their dog, we need real evidence to be able to investigate and prosecute. We would always advise people to be very cautious when taking photos or videos. Ideally we need a witness statement telling us the day, date, location and time that the incident occurred, as well as a description of the person and dog.

"Owners should always carry a poop scoop or a bag to carry the dog mess to a dog waste bin provided. If there isn’t a litter bin, take it home and dispose of it there.

"We rely on residents to be our eyes and ears in the community, and would encourage anyone who witnesses dog fouling to call us on 01724 297000 or complete the online form at www.northlincs.gov.uk. If any residents would like to litter pick in their community, get in touch with us and we can support you with this."